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Toby Twining

Photo by Richard Bergeron

Raised in Texas, with family roots in country-swing and gospel, Toby Twining has traveled musically from playing for rock and jazz bands to experimental composition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his Bachelor of Musical Composition degree in 1985. In the mid-eighties he became intrigued by the vast potential of the human voice and delved into a broad spectrum of musical techniques, including Renaissance madrigals, scat, African yodeling, and Mongolian throat-singing. The discovery of his own vocal range and performance talents pulled these influences together for Twining and guided him toward an emphasis on composition for a cappella ensembles.

Twining moved to New York in 1987, initially writing for modern dance choreographers who wanted the sounds of a new choral music. In 1990, with a group of five New York-based singers, he presented the first international live concert of his music in Seoul, South Korea. A year later he formed Toby Twining Music, his own a cappella quartet, which performed at music halls and festivals across the United States and in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Barcelona in Europe. The quartet grew to a 12-voice ensemble in 1999 to accommodate the expanded range of Twining's Chrysalid Requiem, first performed in Amsterdam as part of the Gaudeamus Foundation's "Festival of New Spiritual Music."

In addition to his vocal compositions, Twining has written many pieces for keyboard and other instruments. Two of his best-known piano compositions, Satie Blues and Nightmare Rag, were recorded by avant-garde pianist Margaret Leng Tan on her 1997 album Art of the Toy Piano (Uni/Point) and have received considerable radio and concert exposure. Twining lives in Philadelphia with his wife, choreographer and dancer Darla Stanley, and their son, Mac.

Cantaloupe Music is the record label created and launched in March 2001 by the three founders of New York's legendary Bang on a Can organization—composers Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe—with Bang on a Can managing director Kenny Savelson. Cantaloupe Music has made a massive impact in the new music community, and has been recognized by critics and fans worldwide for its edgy and adventurous sounds.

Our goal is to provide a home for contemporary classical and post-classical music that is, in the words of Michael Gordon, “too funky for the academy.” Throughout its nearly 15-year history, Cantaloupe has repeatedly received Top Ten of the Year accolades from such publications as the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, The Guardian (UK), The Wire (UK), Newsday, Mojo magazine, Gramophone, Billboard, Stereophile and Time Out New York. Cantaloupe releases have also been featured on CNN, National Public Radio, the BBC, Pitchfork.tv and numerous outlets online, in print and over the airwaves.

Regarding Submissions

We welcome unsolicited submissions. However, though they will be listened to, we cannot guarantee a response, and no submissions will be returned. Please send CDs to the address above c/o Cantaloupe A&R. Please include information about performances (both past and upcoming).